Ginninderry named Canberra’s first six-star Green Star community

The new west Belconnen district Ginninderry has been named Canberra’s first six-star Green Star community.

The Green Building Council of Australia announced that Ginninderry had achieved the highest possible community rating on Thursday.

Construction began just last week, however Riverview Developments chief executive David Maxwell said sustainability was “at the heart of the vision for Ginninderry”.

“Sustainability is not a single idea, it’s about investing in conservation and the community to create opportunities for education, employment and innovation,” Mr Maxwell said.

“This is achieved through a combination of initiatives throughout the planning, design and construction of Ginninderry. The size, location and long development timeframe of the project provide a great opportunity to trial various technologies and initiatives.”

The joint venture by the ACT government and Riverview Developments will deliver up to 11,500 homes and accommodate about 30,000 people by 2055.

New technologies that will help residents reduce the amount of energy they use are being explored, while solar panels will be mandatory for all homes.

In addition to creating a sustainable community, the developers hope Ginninderry will act as a new model that others can follow.

Green Building Council of Australia chief executive Romilly Madew said the rating represented world leadership in the design and delivery of sustainable communities.

“This rating highlights that the know-how, technology and collaborative thinking is found right here in the ACT and Ginninderry is certainly a world-class example of why sustainable thinking can deliver more for people, the community and the environment,” Ms Madew said.

“The project team’s achievement is truly outstanding, especially when we consider the project stretches across four suburbs and two states.”

Land Development Agency chief executive David Dawes said only a handful of projects had received the national accolade.

“This internationally recognised certification is a testament to the high-quality features and detailed planning that will make Ginninderry a liveable, environmental and community focused development,” Mr Dawes said.

Ginninderry is situated adjacent to Holt and west Macgregor and extends towards Ginninderra Falls. It will comprise four suburbs, three in the ACT and one in NSW.

About 6500 homes will be situated within the ACT border, with about 5000 slated for development in NSW.